Jay Kline

9.4

It was Father’s Day and I had decided on grilled rack of lamb for dinner so I selected this bottle of 2011 Chateau Musar rouge from our cellar. According to Musar’s records, the 2011 vintage was one of the most challenging since the early 1990’s. It was ultimately a late-maturing vintage with harvest taking place on October 13th, the latest since the 1983 vintage!

I decanted this bottle about eight hours prior to dinner. It should be noted that immediately upon opening, the bouquet was strikingly gorgeous with powerful aromatics that were obvious from several feet away and this trait carried through until dinner time.

In the glass, the wine presents a deep garnet color. Slightly turbid with a near opaque core. On the nose, black plums, blackberries, cassis, tobacco, organic earth, exotic spices, leather, spiced meat, and pomegranate. I detect a touch of VA as well. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the nose with an added bit of red rope licorice. Lovely, long, savory…amazing. This was a brilliant compliment to the lamb (which was served with beets and goat cheese and fattoush) and everything I wanted in a Musar tonight. Drinking well now with a hefty decant and I expect well cellared examples to drink well past 2035. — 2 years ago

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9.3

The 1996 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a vintage that I have not tasted for a number of years. Matured in two-thirds new oak, it has an open and expressive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, estuarine scents, touches of liquorice emerging with time. It is higher-toned than the 1995 with iodine evolving with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, fresh acidity, quite sweet in the mouth and maybe like the 1995, just missing that complexity and terroir expression that I think has defined recent vintages from this estate. Maybe it is slightly compromised by some Merlot (25%) that was picked a but later, but still, there is a lot of pleasure to be found in this 1996. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2022)
— 3 years ago

David Rein

9.2

92 is rating ws and many others are giving it and I think that is right on the mark. It’s really gets meaty and a little more peppery the longer it breathes. The bouquet in the glass when it’s nearly empty is remarkably wonderful. Very enjoyable vintage. — 4 years ago

Max Waldron

9.0

With carignan- jammy and delicious but not obvious — 5 years ago

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10

The 1945 La Mission Haut-Brion from the château cellar is transcendental. It is blessed with the most beautiful bouquet you can imagine, effortless and natural, featuring woodland, red-berried fruits, a minerally quality and a faint touch of leafiness; given time to settle, it develops a lovely gamy note. The palate is medium- rather than full-bodied and sublimely balanced, upholding that effortless grace with an elegant, bittersweet, dried orange peel finish. One of the most harmonious wines I have ever consumed. Perfect. Tasted at the La Mission Haut-Brion vertical in London in September 2009. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2020)
— 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

Coming from an exceptional vintage, the 2005 Viña Tondonia from R. Lopez de Heredia is a compelling blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacho (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%), all sourced from their estate vineyards and aged for six years prior to bottling. This sensational wine opens with a bright bouquet of leather, cranberry, orange rind, forest floor and suggestions of black tea. Showing incredible focus and poise, this balanced Rioja is framed around flavors off leather, red cherry, teaberry, Mandarin orange and pipe tobacco that sit alongside brisk minerality, as the wine shows tremendous freshness and length through the long finish. This is an absolute stunning effort from this storied Estate and should continut to drink beautifully for years to come. Drink 2019-2035- 94 — 6 years ago

John Svoboda

9.8

Dark ruby color, with bright acidity in the glass. Sensuous bouquet of plum liqueur, blackberry and cassis. Powerful well balanced and still young fruit in the mouth, well rounded with sweetness penetrating firm tannins. Beautiful long finish that exudes a powerful elegance. A tour de force that is still years from maturity! — 7 years ago

with Rick

Jay Kline

9.5

Splash decanted and served immediately; enjoyed over the next four hours. On the nose, it smells like 2015…gorgeous and giving with fresh, ripe cherry, dry earth and green herbs. The bouquet opened up over time and just seemed to gain power and intensity adding blood orange and red flowers. On the palate, this is bone-dry with silky texture and huge structure which also seemed to go from strength to strength. The finish is long and ever so satisfying. Drink now with a lot of patience or enjoy through 2040. — 3 years ago

Kate

9.3

Happy Friday and celebrating with this wine. Most amazing winery I ever visited. Thank you to my sister in law that booked the private tasting and introduced me to this wine. She’s one of my besties. Love the smell of the bouquet of flowers that are soft and eloquent. Interesting that the company also has flowers one of my favorite Pinot noirs. This iwine is slightly too cherry finish. But I love the velvet texture. — 3 years ago

Roger Ray

9.0

"Edgy and full of flavour, the Prisoner is a bold red meant for indulging. On the nose, expect a bursting bouquet of bing cherries, dark chocolate, clove and roasted fig, followed by juicy ripe fruit flavours. Notes of raspberry and boysenberry with hints of pomegranate give way to a lingering taste of warm vanilla on the palate. A long, smooth finish lingers in your mouth. " — 4 years ago

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9.6

When I tasted the 2018 Cheval Blanc from barrel, I felt that it deserved a very good score, though not one that implied potential perfection. The bottle was tasted upon opening, but I only began to pen my tasting note after 3–4 hours’ decanting. I still find the bouquet more open than many recent vintages, the ripe brambly red fruit intermingling with clove, sage and light graphite notes originating from the Cabernet components (46% of the final blend). It is a really seductive bouquet, though not as complex or as nuanced as, say, the astonishing 2016 or the impressive 2015. The palate is medium-bodied with refined tannins. A harmonious and elegant Cheval Blanc that has retained the linearity I remarked upon in barrel. So it is not a flamboyant Cheval Blanc like the Cabernet-dominated 2017, but it is a far better wine thanks to the Merlot imparting flesh and rondeur. The finish is extremely precise but never powerful, almost Burgundy-like in weight, with a lightly spiced aftertaste. As the hours pass in the decanter, it gains depth and a little more precision on the finish. This does not possess the otherworldly profundity to equal legends such as the 1934, 1964 or 2016; it is simply a wonderful Cheval Blanc to sit back and savor as a Saint-Émilion par excellence. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2021)
— 4 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

Bouquet of strawberries and rhubarb, fig jam, herbal notes, saddle leather, moderate acidity, cedar box. Lovely. — 6 years ago

with Deked1

Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

Had older vintages, the ‘07 was released in late 2015, great but still has time to bottle age. Decant 2 hours before drinking. Tempranillo with about 15% Mazuelo (Cariñena), concentrated bouquet of berry fruits with spice. On the palate cherry and plum flavors, well balanced for a difficult vintage. Lingering, crisp and focused, tight tannins ending with a mineral character and earthy tones, a traditional Rioja. Stock up on the ‘07, there is no ‘08, but ‘09, ‘10 & ‘11 will be released Wow! 900 cases US! — 7 years ago

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9.4

The 2012 Montrose has a taut and focused bouquet with crisp blackberry, tobacco and light earthy scents on the nose. Fine vigour and class evident here. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins on the entry, fine acidity, lightly spiced with a nicely proportioned and focused finish. This is a solid, almost swarthy Montrose, though it is surpassed by more recent vintages. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 3 years ago

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9.3

The 2012 Angélus has a fragrant bouquet: a mixture of red and black fruit, truffle, crushed stone and light wilted flower scents. Very pretty. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation and good acidity, quite sappy with modest depth. Fairly structured with a dash of white pepper and peppermint on the finish. This Angélus has tons of personality and is drinking well now. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 3 years ago

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9.9

The sample of 2019 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande sent to me last year was an absolute show-stopper. The bouquet needs a few minutes to open up, delivering intense black fruit, crushed stone and incense with time in the glass. Yes, the nose does remind me of Latour! The medium-bodied palate is endowed with unerring symmetry and poise. This is a powerful, multi-dimensional Pichon-Lalande, extremely precise, very deep and long. The 60% new oak is seamlessly integrated and feels just right. It reminds me of the 1996 in some ways, but with more finesse on the finish. Stunning. 14.12% alcohol (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago

Raun Kupiec

9.0

It’s been another couple of years since the last bottle from this box. The bouquet is deep with back current and black pepper. It tastes earthy, peppery, plums and black currant, once it opened bell peppers too. The cherry is gone. Integrated, soft, mild , back of the mouth, woody minty tannins. Moderate finish. — 4 years ago

with Barbara

HH Lim

9.0

Drank on 16/12/20 at Orchard Residence. Nice bouquet with strong earth, leather flavour,. Very long finishes — 5 years ago

Raun Kupiec

9.5

Bouquet of faint new plastic garden hose. In a good way. In some way it reminded me of aspects of older Wachau Riesling. Deep reddish pink rosé colouring. Tea, honey, apricot, mint, caramel, spices, those waxy candies when you were a kid... superb. — 6 years ago

Sara

10

Great! Floral, and just dry enough. — 7 years ago